Life-boat.



F. KULHAWY.

LIFE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY4, 1914 Patented Aug. 11, 1914,

T'H'E NORRIS PETERS C0,, FHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C

FERDINAND KULHAWY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF T0 LOUIS MICHALSKI, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LIFE-BOAT;

Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patented Aug, 11, 1914 Application filed May 4, 1914. Serial N 0. 836,175.

The middle one of the posts 11 being longer than the oppositely-positioned ones thereof. A supporting ridge or strip 13 is bowed upwardly and secured within slots 14 at the tops of said posts by means of transverse pins 15 while the opposite outer ends of said ridge strip are rigidly secured to the bow and stern posts 16 and 17 respectively. The ridge strip 13 is provided with an open top channel 18 extending the entire length thereof and said channel is substantially 3- shaped in cross-section. Two opposite canopy portions 19 preferably formed of canvas or other flexible sheet material have their lower edges 20 secured along the entire lengths thereof between the opposite gunwales 21 of the boat and the adjacent upper edges 22 of the boat sides, while aplurality of hooks or brackets 23 are spaced apart and similarly secured along the opposite outer sides of the boat and depending from the gunwale portions thereof. Two fleXible binding strips 24 are adapted to be united forseating'within the channel 18 of the ridge strip for removably retaining the inner adjacent edges of the opposite canopy sections 19 firmly positioned therein and whereby the canopy entirely covers over the entire boat and is devised to be water-proof and to prevent water from entering the boat when the canopy is so positioned. A plurality of windows 25 are provided in the canopy, being preferably formed of glass or celluloid to allow the same to be rolled up when the canopy is rolled in its inoperative position.

he boat is provided substantially centrally thereof with an inner casing 26 having an open bottom 27 while a paddle wheel 28 is secured upon a shaft 29 journaled through the opposite sides 30 of said'casing. Between the sides of the casing and the wheel 28 two oppositely-positioned cranks 31 are arranged, each being connected by means of a rod 32 projecting through slots 32 in the top of the casing 26 with the end of an operating lever 33 and adapted upon an up and down movement being imparted thereto in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, to turn the wheel 28 in the desired direction for imparting movement to the boat while the boat is adapted to be steered by means of the rudder 34 having a tiller 35. The interior of the boat is preferably provided with side seats 36 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND KULHAWY, a subject of the Czar of Russia, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Boats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto new and useful improvements in life boats.

he rimary object of this invention is to provide a manually-propelled life boat with a water-proof inclosing canopy whereby the interior of the boat is entirely protected while the occupants thereof are enabled to navigate regardless of the storm conditions.

A further object is to provide a cover canopy for a life boat which will be watertight while the same is provided with a plurality of windows enabling the occupants to determine a proper course in steering the boat While the same is manually propelled from the interior thereof.

A still further object is to provide a twopart canopy cover for a boat adapted.for having its separate'parts secured together along its medial line and readily released and rolled up for positioning in retaining hooks along the gunwale of the boat.

With these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and wherein like designating numerals corresponding parts throughout the several views :-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a boat provided with the present invention, a portion of the same being shown in vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the canopy securing means upon an enlarged scale, and, Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of one of the hook supports for the rolled curtain, being illustrated upon an enlarged scale.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the life boat 10 is illustrated as provided with upright posts 11 mounted upon the longitudinal axis of the boat bottom 12.

and a floor 37 which provide air and watertight compartments 38 within the hull.

The'complete operation of the device is believed to be apparent from this description in that with the canopy positioned for covering the boat, it is only necessary to remove the strips 2& from the channel 18 to free the opposite canopy portions 19 and allow the same to be rolled up and positioned within the bracket hooks 23 upon opposite sides of the gunwale. When again required for use, the canopy may be unrolled and its-adjacent inner edges placed within the channel 18 and the two binding strips then positioned for securing the same in place. With this construction it will be seen that the occupants of the boat will be entirely protected against storms and that it will be impossible for water to enter the boat either from above or over the gunwales thereof when the canopy is in its covering position, while the occupants may readily propeland steer the boat as desired.

} VVh'le the forms of the invention herein I shown and described are what are believed to'be preferable embodiments thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that various forms' and modifications may be resorted to which fall within-the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is 1. -A device of the-class described, comrising a hull, upwardly projecting posts interiorly positioned therein, a ridge strip secured upon the tops of said posts and between the bow and the stern posts of the boat, a 3-shaped channel positioned upwardly opening upon the top of said ridge Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' I V 1,1o6,7 s

strip, opposite canopy sections having their opposite edges secured along the gunwales of the boat and having their inner'edg'es adapted for reception within said channel, binding strips seated within said channel upon said canopyedges, and bracket hooks arranged along the opposite gunwales of the boat adapted for receiving the canopy when in its rolled up position. i

2. A life boat provided with upwardlyprojecting spaced posts positioned upon the longitudinal axis thereof and having open slots at their upper ends, a ridge strip positioned within said slots and having its 0pposite ends secured to the vbow and stern posts of the boat, securing plns. positioned through the upper endsof said posts and extending through said strip, said strip having an upwardly opening socket co-extensive with the length .thereof and substantially 5;;

S-shaped in cross-section, canopy portlons having thelr outer opposite edgessecured between the gunwales and adjacent sides of the boat and wlth their inner ad acent edges positioned within the saidsocket, two bind- I 1.

ing members positioned within said socket incontact with each otherand seated upon said canopy edges, and bracket hooks secured beneath the opposite gunwales and depending outwardly of the boatsides for 1 retaining. the canopy when in its rolled up condition.

In testimony whereofI aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FERDINAND KULHAWY. .VVitnesses: r

CZESLAW NVI IOIOKI, IGNAo MIoHALsKL Washington, I). C. 

